


Kaisyl's Story

by axelle_alenko



Series: The Witch's Saga [1]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Gen, Humor, M/M, Oh yes, and i really like it, he's a witch, i give up tagging lmao have fun, i mean I guess you could count his sarcasm as humor, idk - Freeform, implied gay, monumental character fuck-up, oh wait and um blood, sooooo, there is blood, this...this is a story I wrote for a grade, welp, what do I tag it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-04
Updated: 2015-05-04
Packaged: 2018-03-29 01:33:14
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 5,705
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3877315
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/axelle_alenko/pseuds/axelle_alenko
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The story behind Kaisyl's inevitable failure. Good stuff, folks.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Walden's Request

**Author's Note:**

> Yeeeee look at me posting *hides face* I know I have shit that still isn't complete but lmao this is complete soooo shhhhh *pets*  
> Okay, so, this'll obviously be in multiple chapters. Before anyone says anything, the character of Ai is *not mine.* His dorkiness belongs to one of my close friends; we decided to incorporate the same conversation in both of our stories. ... because we are dorks.

_Drip. Drip. Drip._

Funny how such mundane instances as this can come to represent more. Water dripping idly from a faucet could stand to symbolize time slipping past, chances disappearing down a drain as you watch life pass you by. Slip too far into your own obsession, addictions, and-

“Kaisyl.”

I had come to despise her voice, for it only promised. Nirvana had only succeeded, in these previous five years, in infuriating me with her promising words.

Nirvana was my familiar. The humanoid, female wolf had been around for as far back as I could recollect, always off to the side and watching, waiting to lend a hand in my potion making and minor spell casting. She stood out in crowds like nobody’s business. Her hair, for one, was primarily as dark as a raven’s feathers, save for her gradient rainbow-colored bangs that often hung into her multicolored eyes. It didn’t help that she also towered over the female population in town, even having a three-inch height advantage over myself.

The fact that the woman could also change into a gigantic wolf probably didn’t help the whole blending-in matters. Whenever she was human, as she was now, she maintained her ears and tail.

“What?” I felt groggy from my previous night’s sleep. If my familiar had reason to speak, it could only mean work.

“You have a customer.” Bingo, hit the nail on the head.

Limbs popped as I rose, just marginally, from my spot beside the sink, body half draped across the surface. “Can it wait for a bit? I’m in the middle of an epiphany.”

“You will have plenty of time for such matters later, my child. I do not believe that you would want to keep Mayor Turncoat waiting.”

_Child._ Always just ‘child.’ Never anything other than ‘Kaisyl’ or ‘child’ or ‘my child.’ Hell, I knew I was younger than the ancient bat, but she didn’t need to rub it in my face.

Groaning at the prospect of work, I dragged myself up into a proper sitting position on the stool beside the sink. “Fine, whatever, bring him in.” I waved Nirvana away dismissively, only for a man to shamble into my kitchen mere moments later.

Walden Turncoat looked like a bald walrus crammed into a suit coat. What hair he had was neatly combed across his scalp, but hell if I knew who he was trying to kid. The buttons on his poor, tortured coat looked close to bursting from the fabric as they fought to hold the man together. 

The man was an eyesore and I was all too eager to get him out of my house.

“May I help you, sir?” I asked politely, hating to fake manners. Rudeness never got me any customers, though, so I would have to suffer through it.

Turncoat cleared his throat obnoxiously, beady blue eyes peering around my kitchen, almost as if the man was here for an investigation. _Like hell,_ I thought.

“Golly, what a fine place ya got here! Hear yer a…whatchamacallit? Err, yes! A potion maker!”

The second this man opened his mouth, the violent, spontaneous, erratic part of my mind wanted to strangle him. Infuriatingly, he was in obvious need of my work. Chalk up his annoying speech patterns to the things I have to suffer through.

“Yes,” I replied simply, hoping to move the conversation along…and get the insufferable man out of my sight.

“I need as- assis- err, _help_ with a little problem of mine.” The man’s unattractive features took on a beet color.

Part of me wondered why the man abruptly looked like a swollen tomato, but I didn’t let the curiosity linger for long. “Oh? What would be that issue?”

“I erm, seem to be having some dagnabbed dif- diffi- err, _problems_ in the bedroom.”

His words rolled around in my head for only the briefest of seconds, then everything clicked. I fought back the onslaught of laughter that threatened to break free and cause the loss of my newest customer.

To prevent any outbursts, I opted to press a hand over my mouth and speak as such. “Mmhm, and you want me to help you with a potion?” My voice was muffled, but I had no doubts that the man heard me, for his uncomfortable coloration only deepened further. Walden Turncoat could be now used to signal traffic.

“Yessir, son, and it’d be mighty fine of ya if ya kept yer bloody mouth shut ‘bout it.” His massive feet shuffled along the kitchen floor idly, scuffing the tiles. “How much would such a conc- concoc- err, _mix_ cost?”

“Don’t worry about it, really,” I managed from behind my hand. “You don’t have to pay upfront. Once I’ve cooked it up and it’s in your hand, that’s when you pay.”

Turncoat’s face lit up, an absolute look of joy making his blubbery features appear younger. “Mighty fine of ya, son! I’ll go ahead and take mah leave, then!” With that, the man finally shuffled out my house, Nirvana returning moments later.

“Well? What did the Mayor want?”

My facade broke down then. I fell off my stool and onto the floor, laughing. “Oh god, he wanted a potion for erectile dysfunction!”

Nirvana crossed her arms, arching an eyebrow at my childish display. “Seriously?”

“Shut up and give me your phone,” I managed around my laughter, the words being broken up by half-choked snorts. The familiar shrugged as she fished her cell phone out of her jacket pocket and tossed it toward me. I caught it, barely, and punched in a number.

Ringing… ringing… ringing…

“Hi Kai!” came the cheerful, upbeat response as my closest friend answered.

“Hi Ai.” The struggle to not burst into laughter as I spoke was strong.

“Whatcha doin’?”

“You will not believe the guy that just- oh god, he wants a potion for erectile dysfunction!”

“…No way, people really ask for that?”

“You bet your ass they do! Holy crap I can’t believe it- I can’t-”

“Dude, I have to go to school, but you just made my day.”

Laughter still bubbling out of my mouth, I hung up and returned the device to Nirvana.

“Was that absolutely necessary, Kaisyl?” the woman inquired.

I took a moment to reflect- all of two seconds- before nodding sagely. “Yes. Ai deserved to know that I have customers that ask for personal… _very_ personal things.”

“You could do to be more mature about these things,” Nirvana responded, sounding miffed as she brushed raven-colored strands from her eyes. Her lips twisted upward into a smirk nonetheless. “It is slightly amusing, though. Who would have thought that the Mayor would have issues getting it up in the privacy of his bedroom?”

“Exactly!” I cried, perhaps a bit too eagerly. Skin rubbed against skin as I slid my hands along each other. “The only real issue is that I don’t believe I have a recipe for such a potion. I’d probably have to go out to get it.”

“Are you not sure that you, perhaps, have it somewhere in that mess?” Nirvana gestured grandly toward the threateningly precarious pile of paper and books stacked in the corner of the kitchen. “You could very well spend an entire afternoon searching through that. I imagine it would be there somewhere.”

“Probably, but where’s the fun in that?” 

“Kaisyl…child, need I remind you that you do not do well with people?”

I mulled it over, jaw working in tandem with the gears in my head. She had a point. People, other than Ai, typically drove me up the wall. It didn’t aid in the fact that I had some paranoia about the people around me when I was in crowds.

“Well,” I began, standing straight and stretching my stiff limbs, “it doesn’t look like I have much choice, does it? You can look around here. I’m going out to town.”


	2. The Outing at Luna's

Lunar Vista was a quaint little town, population of an approximate 5,000. The townsfolk were mostly hicks, but there were bound to be just a few exceptions to the standard. I had yet to encounter any, though.

I lived on the outskirts of the place, in a beat up house that nowadays resembled more of a shack. It was in pretty dire need of a fixing up, but I didn’t have the money or time for such matters. A well-trodden trail lead from my house to the town square, which was more than convenient, as there was frequent traffic between my home and town.

Seemed that a witch’s concoctions were popular among little towns.

There were several individuals that called out to me as I made my way down the path, a few satisfied customers but the majority of the voices’ owners wanted to do business. I waved at them absently. If they really did wish to have something made, they’d come to me, not corner me on the street.

I made my way toward Luna’s Homemade Materials and Goods, a miniscule indoor farmer’s market, to browse around for ingredients. I had been meaning to purchase more, but things had me…occupied as of late.

The store was, for once, crowded. Several men in fancy-looking Italian suits strutted about, a few with guns strapped to their hips like must-have accessories.

Something wasn’t right here.

Searching for someone that would have answers, my eyes finally laid upon a guy who couldn’t have been much older than myself. I couldn’t see much of his face, for it was mostly concealed by his hair, the follicles an unnatural navy blue.

I hesitated. I wasn’t fond of human interaction, but my curiosity was getting the best of me- I couldn’t just stand around wondering why some Mafia-looking schmuck was rooting through the whole grain food.

“Excuse me,” I started, tapping the taller male on the shoulder, “why are they here?”

The boy startled, a can of all natural green beans slipping from his hand and clattering onto the floor. On closer inspection, the kid was obviously a stock boy- his bland blue uniform gave him away, as well as the crescent moon over the breast pocket with Luna’s stitched below it.

He recovered enough to answer my question, flicking the hair out of his eyes to look toward the nearest thug. “Oh, them? Yeah, hear there’s some sort of event coming up. Big thing downtown. Seems the mayor felt he needed extra security. God knows why. No one’s disturbed this town for generations.”

What the hell did Turncoat have planned that he’d have to hire his own personal Mafia?

“Any idea what’s being planned?” I asked, brow furrowing as one of the men raked enough bread into a cart to feed an army. No one sane eats that much bread.

The stock boy shrugged, kneeling to scoop the dropped can back up and deftly replacing it on the shelf. “No clue. But if I had to guess, I’d say it’s some kind of induction ceremony. Those guys aren’t the only new people here.”

“What do you mean?”

“Bunch of refugees have been flooding into the town over the past few days. I’ve got no clue what’s going on, but I have a bad feeling.”

_You and me both, buddy,_ I thought. I nibbled at my lower lip as my thoughts ran rampant. I’d lived in Lunar Vista for years now, as long as I can remember- though five years isn’t much- and there had never been any sort of event downtown before.

Shrugging it off for the moment, figuring that everything would come to light in due time, I made my way further down the aisle, toward the back of the store where I normally found my potion materials… 

…only to find the entire section empty, mere crumbs and shredded remains the only remnants.

I slumped in defeat. How was I to make that imbecile Turncoat’s potion now?

Mumbling under my breath utter, incoherent nonsense, I turned and promptly slammed into some buffoon’s chest.

“Hey, watch where you’re going, assh-” The rest of the derogatory term never left my mouth, a pitiful squeak taking its place as my eyes drifted upward.

The ape I’d clashed into consisted of terrifying proportions. His arms and torso resembled barrels wrapped in expensive Italian cloth more than they did any appendage. Piercing steel blue eyes peered out from a battered, battle-worn face, scars marring the surface in so many places it looked like the guy had gotten into a fight with an extremely pissed-off cat and just barely come out alive. 

“Watch where you’re going, princess,” the giant rumbled, voice akin to rolling thunder. “Wouldn’t want anyone to mess up that pretty face of yours, would you?”

“No,” I squeaked, opting to hightail it out of Luna’s and back home.

I could wait until later to get materials. Safer that way.


	3. The Threat

“Kaisyl, there was a visitor while you were away.”

Nirvana’s voice rang out from the living room the second the door slammed shut. I slid down against the worn wooden surface, heart hammering away in my chest from my sprint out of Luna’s.

“He left you a note,” she continued idly, as if I’d already given her an answer.

Peeling myself off of the door, I finally mustered up enough strength to reply. “Yeah, okay.”

“I put it beside the sink, since you seem to favor that spot near the faucet.”

I shambled into the kitchen, plucking the piece of parchment off of the counter. My blood grew colder with every word I read.

_Heard that Mayor Turncoat stopped by for a visit. Fool always was incompetent in the bedroom. That’s not why I stopped by. Do us all in Lunar Vista here a favor- slip something into the bat’s potion, just enough to incapacitate him. Put him out of office. This is our town now._

_-R. N.  
P.S. - Comply like a good little boy and you’ll be well compensated. Speak a lick of this to anyone, though, and I’ll personally come back to end you. You’ve been warned._

This was too much.

The world felt like it was spinning haphazardly for some reason. Things started fading out of focus. Everything was abruptly at a lower elevation. Why…?

Oh, right, I was fainting. Silly me.


	4. The Decision

Water. I needed water.

When I came to, I was sprawled out on the kitchen floor, mouth and throat feeling as though I’d swallowed a handful of cacti. I struggled to sit up, hands prickling as the blood flowed back into them. The ominous note had fluttered under the kitchen table when I had collapsed. I stretched out toward it, snatching the offending piece of parchment back up and rereading it once, twice, three times, a fourth.

This couldn’t be right. No way. I couldn’t do this.

I didn’t want to find out what would happen if I didn’t follow through with this R.N.’s orders, though. Who the hell signs a death threat with their initials?

The only logical thing left to do was to follow through with the order. Better Turncoat’s hide on the line than my own, right? Besides, the old fart was bound to retire from office soon enough; what difference would it make if it had to do with some mysterious infliction?

There was no way they could follow it back to me, unless things went lopside and this R.N. ended up coming after me anyways. That was a pleasant thought to entertain.

“Kaisyl, are you alright?” Nirvana moseyed into the kitchen, obvious concern laced into her features, lips drawn into a tight line. 

“Fine, just a slight change of plans,” I managed, startled by her abrupt appearance. My heart was still racing from the contents of the letter. Whether it was out of fear or anticipation, I didn’t know.

The familiar made her way over, brow furrowing deeper at my words. I handed her the note wordlessly, her iridescent eyes making quick work of the scrawled script.

“Do me a favor, Nirv,” I began, “and bring me my various stored poisons out of the back storage. We have work to do.”


	5. Raising Questions

It was over sooner than I would have hoped, the final product being an ominous ebony concoction, the substance bubbling lazily within its glass flask.

“How soon do you think we can get this to him?” Nirvana inquired as we stood in our makeshift lab, both of us staring at the flask in my hand.

“Not sure. Don’t want to make it look like I rushed to get it over to him. As dumb as he is he’d probably be suspicious of it. I’d say wait a day or two,” I replied, placing the flask on the nearest table gingerly, as if the contents had the capacity for being explosive.

They might as well have been, for all the future trouble that damned potion was going to cause me. 

“You should turn in for the night, Kaisyl,” Nirvana murmured, hand rubbing my shoulder idly. “You need your rest, especially after all the work you did to make Mayor Turncoat’s potion.”

“‘M not tired,” I began, only to disprove my words with a yawn. “Dammit, okay. I’ll go to sleep soon. Just give me a minute.”

“Do not stay up much longer, child. It does no good to stay up dwelling upon certain items.”

I knew perfectly well what she meant- she didn’t want me dwelling over the identity of R.N., or of how the stranger knew Turncoat had come to visit. Had this R.N. been outside a window, listening in, while the dashing mayor had come for his visit?

“I said not to do that,” Nirvana chided, leaning against the doorway, her arms crossed against her chest. “You know very well that worrying yourself over it will only make it worse.”

Something, a small detail I’d overlooked when I had returned home from Luna’s, suddenly seemed highly important.

“You told me my visitor was a he when I came home, Nirvana. How did you know that without seeing him? Not to mention that that meant you actually handled the note too, and put it in the kitchen for me to find. What the hell kind of games are you playing?”

The color drained from her features, lips setting in a hard line as it became clear I’d gotten carried away with my conclusions- and come to one that spelled trouble for her.

“It does not concern you whether I knew the man or not, what matters is the job he gave you. Go to sleep.” Nirvana disappeared around the corner before I had a chance to reply, tail swaying behind her in the shadows briefly, only to vanish with the rest of her.

Every nerve in my body was screaming for answers, brain working overtime as it analyzed and overanalyzed her words. Eventually, though, my inner workings started to give in to exhaustion as yet another yawn escaped me.

“Damn it,” I swore as I stumbled to my feet and into my bedroom. “My brain can deal with this shit in the morning, I’m done for the night.” Flopping into the unmade bed, it wasn’t long before I was out cold and dead to the world, for all intensive purposes.


	6. Calm Before the Storm

The sun could go shove it.

Those bright, joyous sunbeams assaulted my eyes the next morning while the birds were chirping outside annoyingly.

Groaning, I dragged myself out of bed, rubbing at my eyes tiredly. I hadn’t gotten the best night’s sleep, to say the least. Images of Turncoat and the beast I’d encountered at Luna’s had swirled around in my head all night, with bits of R.N.’s letter thrown in for good, paranoia-fueling measure. Nirvana’s presence in my nightmares had also been prevalent, her form taunting at the back of my mind, promising yet denying answers to my questions.

“Kaisyl, time for breakfast.” 

“Not hungry, you insufferable mutt,” I called out, hands massaging my cheeks, trying to rub the exhaustion out of the skin.

Silence. She never did take too well to name calling.

Then: “The mayor stopped by while you were asleep. Dropped off an invitation to the event he is apparently having later today. Something about a wedding? You can deliver his potion then.”

A wedding? Who in their right mind would marry Turncoat? I supposed the request for a potion in aiding his endeavors in the bedroom made more sense now. Still, it was a bit of an odd request, no matter which way you looked at it.

I paused, letting the implications sink in. Was the wedding the event that the mayor felt he needed extra security for it to take place without a hitch- so to speak? What kind of wedding required a Mafia for security?

Shaking my head free of its wandering thoughts, I headed out into the kitchen. Nirvana stood at the stove, the smell of fried eggs and bacon wafting through the air.

My stomach growled obnoxiously, the noise bringing an embarrassed blush to my face. The familiar turned toward the sound, a light smile adorning her features.

“So, you finally decided to come down, hmm? Grab a plate and sit. I have almost finished.”

I made my way over to the sink and snagged a plate, plopping into the nearest chair at the table as I awaited her to finish. Not a full minute later she twirled over, frying pan and spatula in hand, scooping the contents onto my plate. 

Without so much as a pause, I began shoveling the food into my face, burning the roof of my mouth in the process, but I didn’t care.

“For someone not being hungry, you are really shoveling it in, are you not?” Nirvana teased, watching me devour her cooking like a greedy piglet.

“Hush,” I managed around a mouthful of eggs.

“At least chew your food before you swallow it.”

“Thanks, mum,” I muttered, making a point by chewing my food loudly.

She sighed. “Chew with your mouth shut, Kaisyl.”

“I know, I’m just doing this to spite you. Don’t know how you haven’t figured me out yet.”

She flicked a light blue ear in my direction. “Such a child. Hurry up and finish, the wedding starts at eleven.”

I scraped the rest of the egg yolk off of the plate and into my mouth. “So soon? Okay. I’ll go get dressed.” I dropped my plate off into the sink and dashed toward my room, quickly replacing my clothing from the previous day. In my haste for sleep I’d overlooked changing into pajamas; all I really needed was a fresh shirt and I was ready.

“You are going to wear that to a wedding?” Nirvana had appeared in my doorway as I’d finished, the familiar having dolled herself up in some frivolous _dress_ , of all things.

“I think I should be asking you the same question. You have plans to steal the groom?”

She spun, the crimson and black skirts of her dress fluttering with the movement. Nirvana laughed. “You and I _are_ speaking of the same Walden Turncoat, yes? No one would want to steal him.” 

I grinned. “Then we should head out, yeah? It’s downtown, isn’t it?”

“Yes. I will go get the potion. Hopefully Turncoat will not be disappointed.”


	7. Unexpected

Downtown was packed with enough hicks to run a rodeo or two. Walking on foot only made matters worse.

Decorative streamers and paper doves were strown between the streetlights, a few signs here and there reading:  
  


Turncoat & Nightshade Wedding  
Up ahead, past Luna’s store!

Someone had too much time on their hands. The town looked like someone had set their three-year-old free to decorate, bits of obnoxious color here and there. Maybe the three-year-old had also decided to devour several sets of crayons and decorate with its spit-up; who knew?

“Where do you think Turncoat would be, child?” Nirvana spoke up from beside me, cradling the flask in her gloved hands.

I paused long enough to scavenge the invitation out of my jeans pocket. Scanning over it quickly, I nodded in agreement to my own suspicion. “The church, most likely, seeing as it’s his wedding. The crowds are bound to be bad over there, though…”

To completely disprove my own statement, a wild cry of, “HEEEEEERE'S WALDEN!” broke out, followed by a roar of applause and cheering.

“Or maybe he is over there,” Nirvana pointed helpfully, gesturing towards the town square, where a massive collection of people had gathered around the fountain.

_This is ridiculous,_ I thought stubbornly. I hated crowds. The morons being dressed up in dirty tuxes and flimsy dresses didn’t change how I felt about them.

“Hey, I remember you. You ran outta Luna’s like a bat out of hell.”

I jumped, whirling towards the source of the voice, only to be face-to-face with the stock boy from yesterday.

_He cleans up nicely,_ my brain decided upon helpfully, eyes raking over his form in his blue blazer and dress shirt, a blush creeping to my features as I struggled to bring my gaze back up to his face.

He chuckled. “Blondie, eyes are up here.”

“Right,” I managed, giving him a sheepish smile.

_Gay thoughts, now is **not** the time! Go away!_

“We didn’t actually get to properly introduce ourselves before you booked it yesterday. I’m Jetson, but friends call me Jay.”

“H-hey J-Jay, I’m um…Kaisyl.”

“Child,” Nirvana spoke up from my side, tearing me out of my obvious infatuation with the boy in front of us. “We have a job to do, do we not? You will have time for idle chit chat after.” She grabbed my arm and began tugging me through the crowd before I could officially protest.

“Hey! I was talking to someone back there!” I ripped myself free of her grip angrily, staring daggers at the back of her head.

“You were not conversing so much as you were ogling.” I blushed in response. “We have a job to do, Kaisyl. That job comes first. Come on now.”

“Fine,” I retorted, straightening one of my shirt sleeves, fingers shaking as they moved to act. I didn’t like actually delivering my goods- it nevered boded too well with me when I actively seeked out interaction with my customers.

This time would prove no different, I was certain.

We weaved through the crowds, Nirvana being herself and shoving aside those who refused to make way. I stumbled along behind her, mumbling apologies to the angrier individuals she’d pushed. We eventually arrived near the stage, where camera crews were gathered around, zooming in on the ever appealing face of Walden Turncoat.

“Folks, glad ya made it.” He bore his remaining teeth into a smile, the effect gruesome, though I suppose some lesser intelligent beings would find it endearing. 

“I gathered ya’ll here today t’ congratulate the joining of myself and a special someone.”

Murmuring swept over the crowd gradually, wondering who Turncoat’s bride was. There were a few that bitterly whispered, “Lucky wench.”

“I’d like ya all to meet…Tim Nightshade, my husband-to-be.”

The crowd gasped simultaneously, the effect so perfectly timed it almost felt rehearsed. A scrawny twig of a man made his way on stage. In comparison to Turncoat, Nightshade was on the opposite end of the spectrum- it almost seemed that a gentle breeze would be enough to blow the man away, never to return to his walrus-man’s side. The smile on his gaunt features was beyond happy, though, and made the years melt off of him.

The timid man took to standing beside Turncoat, their size differences highly comical. If I hadn’t been in a public setting, I would have lost it.

“Now, I know that in these here parts, marriage of two pals such as myself and Tim here is highly frowned upon!” Turncoat continued, almost sternly, as his gaze swept over the crowd, challenging the citizens to murmur an ill-mannered word. “Though I was hopin’ ya’ll would be alright with us.”

Whispers of reluctant approval spread out among the crowd, the people seemingly encouraged by one of the brutes from Luna’s brandishing his gun stupidly, the weapon gleaming in the heat of the sun.

“Just yesterday, I decided on taking a lil’ trip to our resident witch to … make me a potion to celebrate this day! He said he’d have it done soon bu--”

I jumped when his eyes abruptly locked with mine, the man’s face lighting up like a kid’s on Christmas Day.

“Ah! There ‘e is! Come on up ‘ere, kiddo! Bring yer little lady helper too!”

I shook my head insistently. No, no no, I was not going up there. I didn’t need the embarrassment from being put on the spot like that. It was Turncoat and Nightshade’s day, not mine!

“Come on, buddy! We won’t bite!” The crowd laughed at Turncoat’s attempt at humor, a little too eagerly if you asked me.

Someone shoved me forward and toward the stage. One of my boots caught on someone else’s shoe and I started to fall forward, only to be narrowly saved by Nirvana grasping my arm. “Less clumsy, more walk, Kaisyl,” she advised, guiding me onto the stage with ease.

“Oh! I see you brought the potion! Give ‘er here, little witchy!” Turncoat and Nightshade were both beaming at me wildly, their happiness almost contagious. Almost.

“Nirvana, um, you hand it over.” My hands were shaking too much from nerves- I didn’t trust myself not to drop the flask.

“As you wish.” She took several steps forward, high-heeled boots clicking softly against the wooden floorboards of the stage as she moved to Turncoat, handing him the potion.

Walden Turncoat smiled at the substance within, turning it about in his fleshy hands. He frowned then. “Sorry boy, I forgot t’ bring your payment.”

“I-It’s fine, Mayor Turncoat,” I managed shyly, “you can pay me tomorrow.”

“Great!” The mayor popped the top off the flask, inhaling deeply the fumes that escaped. “Smells interesting.” He brought the potion to his lips and downed the liquid in one large gulp.

Just when I had thought that my luck had made a turn for the better, that I would have the approval of the mayor, was when everything went to hell.

Turncoat’s features twisted in agony the second he placed the empty flask on the podium. Choked half-breaths mangled their way out of his mouth as his eyes bulged, their alarmed gaze turning toward me. I took several steps back, frightened.

The crowd gasped in horror as their beloved mayor collapsed onto the stage, the man still struggling for breath as his skin began turning a sickly shade of purple.

“What have you done?!” Nightshade screeched, rushing to his beloved’s aid, tears streaming down the thin man’s haggard cheeks.

“I-I-I-” Stammering, unable to properly respond to the chaos before me, I stood watching in terror as Turncoat stilled completely, eyes staring off into the sky above us.

“You were only supposed to incapacitate him, you lug!” came the irritated, gruff cry from the crowd. Not moments later, the beast of a man from Luna’s was standing beside me, nostrils flaring indignantly as he sized me up.

He sneered. “Should have known better than to trust a little pipsqueak like yourself to do a man’s job.”

“Romero, what the hell are you talking about?” Nightshade stood, his eyes already red from crying over the abrupt loss of Turncoat.

“I sent a little note to our little witch’s home, requesting a slight change to his plans in the potion. Seems the prick decided to take it a step further.”

I shook my head rapidly, eyes widened in panic. “No no! You’ve got it wrong! It was a big mistake! Accident! He shouldn’t be dead!”

Someone in the crowd screamed as Romero drew his pistol and aimed it at my head. “Right, and to make up for it, I’m going to end you, as I promised.”

My whole body shook as it was inevitable. I was going to die today, at the hands of Scarface, Jr., all because of my inability to make a decent potion.

I shut my eyes tight and silently made my goodbyes. Romero pulled the trigger.

Then...a scream? My eyes shot open, only to discover Nightshade had apparently taken the bullet for me. Blood oozed out of the wound in his temple, his lifeless eyes wide.

I gagged, stepping backward and falling off of the stage, landing on my back in the process. The townsfolk were in a panic now, screaming and crying as Romero growled, kicking the body of Nightshade out of his way.

“Useless scum. Always denied I was related to his squishy self. Couldn’t hold a gun to save his life.” The thug trained his eyes back onto me with a wicked, malevolent smile. “Now it’s your turn, blondie.”

I scrambled away from the stage, fingers clawing in the dirt for a grip in the soil. “Come on!” Nirvana hissed, tugging me to my feet quickly and running, dragging me along behind her like our lives depended on it- which I guess they did.

Another gunshot, another piercing scream. Tears were falling down my face now, unbelieving in the events that had just unfolded before my eyes.

“Nirvana, I-I didn’t mean to…”

“Not the time, child! Run!”

How could this have happened? Why did it have to happen to me, of all people? What did I _do_ in a previous life to deserve this?

We shoved through the panicking crowds, several of the poor individuals falling as more shots rang out, blood pooling at our feet as we ran.

“Blondie! Uh, wolf lady! Mind if I tag along?” Jetson ran up to us, bright eyes wild. There was half-dried blood smeared across his cheek, though it was apparent it wasn’t his own- the boy didn’t have a scratch on him.

“Sure! Whatever! Let us just go!” Nirvana grabbed Jetson with her free hand and took off with renewed speed. With the town of Lunar Vista in ruins behind us, its panic heard for miles, we ran, past the town limits, leaving our troubles behind us.


	8. Final Words

That’s it, that’s my uplifting escape story. Glad you stuck around, aren’t you?


End file.
